Sonata
by Callista Miralni
Summary: Music was everything to them-it brought opportunities, shared sorrows, formed friendships, and gave them love. SasuSaku. For SasuSaku Month. AU.


Sonata

Callista Miralni

disclaimer: nothing

Written in a pathetic attempt to keep the muse going this summer, instead of dying off like every other summer. D: For the SasuSaku month!

**Prompt: Burning/Ignite**

* * *

><p>His fingers—<p>

_(closed around the empty air-_

_-wire digging into his flesh-_

_-drawing blood, leaving scars)_

—pressed down.

_It's always out of my reach_.

_I've got no strings_

_to hold me down_

_I have no way_

_to keep you around_

_.snapshot.1:

_inexperienced, she learns_

Sasuke walked through the hallways listening to the echo of his dress shoes on the floor. At the end of the hall, the muted strains of a violin were accented by the sharp discord of inexperience.

He shook his head. Sakura was practicing the violin again. He much preferred her playing the piano or the flute, instruments better suited to her delicate hands and innocent nature.

Violins, the trilling soprano of the string quartet, spoke of many things. While Sasuke preferred the darker, more seductive tones of Itachi's cello, the violin had a special place in his heart. His mother played the violin, coaxing a rich world of enchantment from the tiny instrument.

Knocking on the door, Sasuke waited for her to allow him in.

"Come in!"

He opened the door and his breath hitched in his throat.

Sakura's hair was piled messily on her crown, thick rimmed glasses threatening to slide off her button nose. She wore sweatpants and a t-shirt, her nails unpainted and chipped.

She would always be beautiful, no matter what.

"Oh Sasuke-kun," she greeted. "I don't think I could ever play this as well as your mother does."

Swiftly approaching her, Sasuke gently tugged the instrument out of her hands.

"You don't move your fingers fast enough on the fretboard," he noted, readying himself to play.

Sakura listened intently, her lips in a concentrated pout as she studied him.

"Oh," she uttered softly as her brain grasped the technique. "I'm sliding too much."

Wordlessly, he handed back the violin.

"Thank you," he heard before he shut the door.

Sasuke paused and continued to walk out.

_Silent, I call_

_to your heart_

_I hold my breath_

_until I hear an answer_

_.snapshot.2:

_memento mori_

Uchiha Mikoto was her violin teacher.

That was how she first became acquainted with the Uchiha family. At four, Sakura would hide behind her mother's legs, entering the vast estate and ushered into the music room.

Mikoto-sensei would smile at her kindly and offer her a piece of mochi before sending her to the bathroom to wash her hands.

Then, their lesson would start.

For years, this was the norm. The butler, Tamaki, would answer the door with a smile. Meirin, the maid, left the same plate of mochi on the table. The only difference now is that Sakura came without her mother and memorized the way to the music room.

Sakura was not Mikoto's only student. Her best friends, Yamanaka Ino and Hyuuga Hinata, took lessons from the woman. Hinata's cousin Neji and a couple other kids Sakura didn't know personally were also students. Every winter, they would have a recital in the drawing room with a reception following in the upstairs lounge.

Recital was always a special time. Her parents and older brother Sasori faithfully attended year after year. Sometimes, her cousins from Suna would also be in town for the winter break. Ino and Hinata's families would sit in the same section as her own. Up until middle school, recital was the only time Sakura saw them.

Uchiha Fugaku-san, Mikoto-sensei's husband, was a scary-looking man. Head of the police department in Konoha, Uchiha-san inherited the position, and the vast Uchiha fortune, from his father. For years, Sakura stood terrified in his presence. It wasn't until she was nine and Uchiha-san complimented her on her performance that she overcame her fear of him.

Sakura blushed in the presence of Uchiha Itachi. Slated as the heir to the department and ranked as the number one most desirable man in Konoha (according to Ino, that is), Itachi paid special attention to her, giving her smiles and hugs whenever he saw her.

The youngest, Uchiha Sasuke, was her age. He was Mikoto-sensei's only student who never performed at recital. Sometimes, especially when Sakura arrived early for her lessons, Sasuke would be practicing in the music room with his mother.

She wondered why he never performed for a larger audience. Sasuke didn't seem to mind it when she listened, but anyone more than his mother and herself, he abruptly stopped and left the room.

When she was twelve, Mikoto-sensei offered to teach her how to play the piano. Ecstatic, Sakura jumped at the chance. Sasuke played the piano, leaving her in awe every time she listened. To learn how to produce beauty like he did... that was the dream of a lifetime.

The next year, Mikoto-sensei introduced her to the flute. Sakura was at the Uchiha estate three times a week now: one for violin, one for piano, and one for flute lessons. She picked up the other two instruments with ease but the violin remained her favorite.

Uchiha-san hailed her as his wife's star pupil. Itachi often picked her up from school and brought her over to the house for her lessons. Sometimes, she stayed over for dinner and later, working on homework with Sasuke.

Sakura's perfect world came to an end that rainy night.

_Walk away from me_

_while you still can, babe_

_I'll never let you go_

_as long as you want to stay_

_.snapshot.3:

_the world is mine_

He could hear the quiet buzz of the gathering crowd below his feet through the air vents. A soft knock on his door broke through the calm silence of his room.

"Come in," Sasuke said as he adjusted the black tie in the mirror.

His mother's favorite pupil—and his only female friend—padded in. Sakura squeezed his shoulder, gazing at him in the mirror.

"Your tie is crooked."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Sasuke said acerbically.

She shook her head, strawberry locks flying around her face. "Lemme see..."

Sakura worked in silence, first undoing the mess he made before tying the fabric in a neat knot. Smoothing away the wrinkles of his suit, Sakura murmured, "I wish you'd reconsider."

"No is no, Sakura."

"_She'd_ want you to perform."

"Guilt trips won't work this time."

"Sasuke-" Emerald green eyes narrowed at him. "-this is a once-in-a-lifetime event. Don't do something you're going to regret later, when you're less of a bastard and decide to be emotional."

Sasuke ignored her. "Are you nervous?"

"As hell," Sakura shook her head ruefully. "You never know who is going to be in attendance. Mikoto-sensei knows a lot of famous and talented people. I mean, what if I mess up? I'd shame my teacher and die of embarrassment."

"You look good," he switched the topic, offering her the compliment on the tip of his tongue.

Her eyes lit up and a shy, pleased smile grew on her lips. "You think so?" Sakura spun around. "I didn't know what to dress for—a performance or..." Her words died at the flash of raw grief across Sasuke's face.

"Hey," she enveloped him in a tight embrace. "It's going to be okay."

Burying his face in her shoulder, Sasuke wept for the first time in weeks.

_We sing this melody_

_of us_

_We write this harmony_

_of our love_

_.snapshot.4:

_things fall apart_

Sakura twisted her hands into her skirt, nervously shaking. At her right, Sasuke twitched at every new wrinkle introduced into the fabric.

His hand closed around hers, squeezing tight.

_Stop._

Sakura quit fidgeting, giving Sasuke an apologetic glance.

"-introduce Haruno Sakura, one of Mikoto-san's many students."

She wobbled out of her chair, knees knocking together. The violin strings cut into her palm; she breathed in through her nose to calm her nerves.

"Mikoto-sensei always favored Bach's Violin solo No. 1 in G minor," she began. "Before one graduates, he or she will perform this piece at recital."

Sakura lifted her chin. "This year was supposed to be my turn to play Mikoto-sensei's favorite piece. Before her passing, we were working through the last page."

"I still haven't mastered it. Mikoto-sensei would be so embarrassed if I played it for you as unpolished as it is."

_What is she doing?_ Sasuke wondered. _Is she out of her mind admitting something like that?_

"Instead, it is my honor to introduce Mikoto-sensei's _best_ student—her youngest son, Uchiha Sasuke—as our guest performer tonight."

_Me?_

Sakura smiled in encouragement, discreetly calling him forward with her violin. He stood up and took the instrument in hand. His father watched him with a blank gaze.

Taking a deep breath, Sasuke raised the bow.

"_The first note, Sasuke-chan, is always the most difficult to play. The first measure is the most important. Do you know why?"_

"_Why, Kaa-san?"_

_She smiled gently. "It tells the audience how you feel, tells them everything about yourself: how much you've practiced, if you have any problems, whether or not you've been in love. That first measure conveys the more emotion than the loudest fortissimo or the softest cadenza."_

"Uchiha Sasuke—Bach's Sonata Violin Solo No. 1 in G minor."

_You gave me opportunities_

_I showered you with love_

_Nothing else matters_

_to me but you_

_.snapshot.5:

_to see the unseen_

Soaked up to their elbows in soapy dish water, Sasuke and Sakura stood side by side in silence. She scrubbed the fine china; he rinsed them clean.

"About earlier..." Sakura began hesitantly. "I didn't mean to-"

"Why did you do it?" Sasuke cut her off, facing her.

The sauce would not come off this plate cleanly; Sakura scrubbed with a little more force.

"You know I hate performing in front of people," the Uchiha boy hissed. "Calling me out like that... I haven't even practiced! I don't know what's worse, Sakura, not practicing enough or not practicing at all."

She said nothing.

"Sakura."

Another dish was passed to him. Sasuke refused to take it, letting it drop to the bottom of the sink.

"What if that broke?" Sakura cried in horror. "That's Mikoto-sensei's heirloom china!"

"You let go," he retorted cooly. "I won't rinse another dish until you answer me."

Scowling, Sakura plucked the china plate out from the water and inspected it for damage. When she saw there was none, she washed and rinsed it again.

"Sakura-"

"Sasuke-san," Ino interrupted him. "Your dad's looking for you. I'll take over in the mean time."

Drying his hands, Sasuke paused to whisper in Sakura's ear, "This isn't over," before taking his leave.

The questions he was dying to ask Sakura swirled around in his mind. Why did she do it? What on earth possessed her to admit such weaknesses in front of a large crowd? Why did Sakura chose _him_ of all people? Ino or Hinata would have been a perfect substitute.

His father stood in the drawing room with a few other men. Taking notice of his youngest son approaching him, Fugaku pushed Sasuke forward.

"Sasuke, I'd like you to meet Hatake Kakashi. Hatake-san was quite impressed with your performance."

The man with the eyepatch standing across from him smiled. "How long have you been taking lessons from your mother?"

"Since I was old enough to hold a violin and not drop it," the sarcastic remark was out of his mouth.

Hatake chuckled. "You have wit. I like that. If you're interested, do you want to be one of my students? I only take three a year."

His head reeled. Only three students a year? Who was this man?

"I'm sorry—what did you say your name was?" Sasuke looked at him again.

"Hatake Kakashi. All my students call me Kakashi though."

"Wait," another man spoke up. "Hatake Kakashi as in the current first chair violinist of the Konoha Symphony Hatake Kakashi? I wasn't even aware you taught."

Kakashi smiled again. "Like I said, I only teach three a year. And I handpick my students. Though I was quite surprised to hear you perform today, Sasuke-san. Mikoto-sempai often spoke of how well you played but I came here to pay my respects and expecting to hear her other musical prodigy, Haruno Sakura, play."

Even the first chair of the Symphony knew Sakura was his mother's favorite and most talented.

"Haruno-chan is a lot like my wife," Fugaku answered smoothly. "Musicians have eccentricities we can never quite understand."

A chorus of laughter rippled through the group.

"Sakura-chan is quite beautiful, I must say. You must have your eye on her, eh, Sasuke-san?"

The back of his neck grew warm but Sasuke hid his blush with a flippant remark. "Of course I have my eye on her," he said. "My _best friend_ has the strangest tendencies to attract the creepiest stalkers."

Another ring of laughter.

"Joking aside, I really am quite impressed with you, Sasuke-san. Perhaps it was better for me to hear _you_ perform rather than Sakura-chan. You have motivation and drive—I can hear it when you bow the first note," Kakashi repeated.

His mother's words came back to him.

_The first note is the most difficult. The first measure is the most important._

"We'll give you a call sometime soon, Hatake-san," Fugaku promised, placing a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "It'd be a shame to let Sasuke's talent go to waste when he shows so much promise."

Jerking in surprise, Sasuke dared a glance at his father. He was... being supportive?

"True." Kakashi's visible eye crinkled into a smile. "Sasuke-san, I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of each other. My niece is extremely fond of you."

The mention of a niece caught both Uchihas off-guard.

"Niece?" Fugaku echoed.

"Oh yes," Kakashi hummed before taking another sip of water. "Haruno Sakura-chan."

_One finger before the other_

_One word after another_

_Step by step,_

_I reach out to grasp your hand_

_.snapshot.7:

_love owes nothing_

The next time Sasuke saw her, a week had gone by.

He arrived at Kakashi's studio thirty minutes early. The woman at the door whose name Sasuke didn't catch told him to go inside already and that Kakashi wouldn't mind. Shutting the door behind him, Sasuke felt his heart stop when he saw who was in the room with his new teacher.

"Maa, maa, Sakura-chan. This is exactly why I didn't want to teach you in the first place," Kakashi rubbed the back of his head.

"Kakashi-nii," the Haruno girl snapped, her patience growing thin. "You're just upset that I progress faster than your brain thinks."

"Hey now, is that any way to treat your favorite uncle?"

"My _only_ uncle, you mean. At least on my mother's side. Besides, should my rapid progress come as a surprise to you? Music is our blood."

Kakashi tapped her on the skull with his bow. "Sakura-chan, you should not confuse prodigal skill with talent. Talent involves work needed to perfect the prodigy's skill."

He eased the violin off Sakura's shoulder. "Why don't we stop for today? I need a break."

"A break to read _Icha Icha_ more like," Sakura grumbled as she put her violin away.

The older man smirked slightly before disappearing out of the room with his orange book in hand.

Emerald green locked eyes with him before Sakura busied herself with putting away her sheet music. The shuffle of papers heightened Sasuke's awareness of her presence.

"Sakura," he called, unable to take the tension. "You've been avoiding me."

She stiffened. "I have not," Sakura defended. "We've just been missing each other, that's all. The school orchestra keeps me super busy right now, especially since Shizune-sempai is vacating first chair at the end of the term."

Sasuke pulled the sheet music out of her hands. "We need to talk," he said softly.

"So talk. I'm all ears."

Now that he had her attention, Sasuke didn't bother with pleasantries. "Why did you do it?"

Exasperated, Sakura rolled her eyes. "You're still harping about your mother's funeral? Fine. I made you play for two reasons: to honor your mother, and because you deserve to be heard."

"You're her best student," Sasuke reminded her.

"You're her _son_," Sakura shot back. "And you'd know you're a _million_ times better than me if you would bother to get over your inferiority complex and actually _listen_ to yourself play!"

Stunned, Sasuke didn't know what to think of the compliment. Yes, he rather listen to Sakura play the _piano_ or the _flute_ because it _suited_ her bubbly personality better than the _emo violin_ but she thought he was good? No... Sakura thought he was _better_.

He wondered if one day, he could make her say he was the _best._

"Did you know," Sasuke began, "that Kakashi was going to be there? Did you know he was scouting for students?"

Sakura stood there for a moment before taking back her music. "I knew he was going to be there," she finally said, "but he didn't say anything about scouting. Kakashi-nii only took me as a student this time as a special favor to his nee-san, my mother."

"Why only now?"

"My mother and Kakashi-nii are fifteen years apart. When I started lessons, he was eighteen and was starting his music studies at the University. He had no time to teach a four-year-old how to play when he was still learning himself."

She hefted her violin case over her shoulder.

"Wait-" Sasuke called.

Pausing at the door, Sakura turned her head slightly towards him.

"Thank you."

Smiling softly, Sakura continued on her way out.

_We're separate_

_but we're not apart_

_I think of you every day_

_Do you think of me?_

_snapshot.8:

_the first note_

They had been apart for ten years.

He chose to study abroad in Vienna; she stayed in Tokyo. On the day of their senior recital, they made a promise.

"_When I come back, I'll be the best. You?"_

_She smiled, eyes bright._

"_I'll teach students the same way your mother taught me."_

He hadn't see her outside of their weekly Skype calls. How much had she actually changed? Would she still be tripping over her septuplets? Did she still play the piano and flute? What about her personal life? She never spoke much about any romantic relationships but that didn't mean they weren't there...

Tipping the cab driver, Sasuke faced the modest studio, recognizing the place as Kakashi's. Through the glass window, he could see a decently sized crowd. Many of his mother's former students were in attendance and the first two rows were filled with fidgeting children of all ages. Sasuke slipped in through the door, taking a seat in the back corner.

They were quite good, Sakura's students. He listened to every piece with a fond smile, hearing his mother's gentle teachings with every problematic measure. On the back wall, a framed parchment read:

The first note is the most difficult.

The first measure is the most important.

Sakura lived up to her promise after all.

Applause distracted him from the memories. Sakura stood up to announce the final piece of the recital—Bach's Violin Solo No.1 in Gminor—but her eyes locked with his. Her mouth hung open slightly but she snapped it closed before giving him that familiar, easy smile.

"We have one more performance," she said smoothly. "I'm sure you remember what it is."

Laughter rang through the crowd.

"My teacher, Uchiha Mikoto, was fond of this Bach solo and insisted on having it performed every year. When there was no student to play it, she would call on her eldest son Itachi or play it herself. The last few years, none of mine were ready to play it and some of my friends performed instead."

"I hate you for that, Forehead!" Yamanaka Ino called out, eliciting another round of laughter.

"This year, I was going to spare Ino-" Sakura grinned. "But it would be a waste if you didn't hear him play."

Sasuke's stomach dropped. This woman... would there be a day when she _wouldn't _put him on the spot?

"I'm sure you will recognize him," the woman winked conspiratorially. "He's famous for his performances abroad with a number of notable orchestras and quartets. What some of you may not know is that _he_ is my best friend in the entire world."

"Hey! I thought that was my spot!" Ino called again.

Ignoring her, Sakura held out her violin, just like she did so many years ago at his mother's funeral. "Sasuke—?"

Smirking, Sasuke took the violin and positioned himself to play. His thumb brushed over a set of embossed initials.

_US_

Uchiha Sasuke.

The violin his mother gave him.

The same one he gave her to remember him by.

"Only for you, Sakura."

_The hands mean nothing_

_without you_

_There is no music_

_without you_

_snapshot.9:

_and then, they fall in love_

"_And that was Uchiha Sasuke in the first chair. What a passionate performance! Surely, we can hear echos of his famous mother in those first measures-"_

"Uwaaa!" Sakura clapped her hands. "That was amazing, Sasuke!"

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke turned off the television. "I messed up."

"I could hardly tell—you covered it up so well. That was a gorgeous piece, probably one of my favorites," Sakura sighed.

Getting up from the couch, Sakura turned off the stove and ladled out portions of fettucini alfredo on two plates. Sasuke took one from her, nodding gratefully. They ate in silence side by side at the kitchen table.

"Do you remember our promise?"

Sakura gave him a puzzled look. "You mean the one we made right after our senior recital?"

Sasuke nodded. "Do you consider it fulfilled?"

"Of course," she laughed. "At least, I would like to think so. Where are you going with this?"

"I think it's time we made a new promise."

Setting her fork down, Sakura focused on Sasuke completely now.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm saying," he took her hand into his. "If you'll have me, you can keep me."

Sakura's gaze softened before her lips curved into a mischievous smile. "And what if I don't want you?"

His heart almost stopped before Sasuke realized she was joking.

"Then I guess I just have to convince you."

_I dedicate this sonata to you_

_This E becomes my promise_

"_Eternity—" you said._

"_This change is forever."_


End file.
